Taylor returns to Australia with good memories

Taylor returns to Australia with good memories

JAKARTA (JP): Outgoing Australian Ambassador Allan Taylor is
returning to Canberra today, ending a four-year term as head of
one of Jakarta's largest embassies.

"I enjoyed it very much. For me it was a great honor to have
been ambassador in Jakarta," Taylor said yesterday on his last
full day in charge.

Taylor will be succeeded by John McCarthy, formerly ambassador
to the United States.

Speaking to The Jakarta Post, Taylor said the highlight of his
term here was helping to foster important developments in the
relationship between the two countries.

Australia is one of Indonesia's most important neighbors, and
while relations have often been strained by recurrent spats, ties
have continued to strengthen overall since the late 1980s.

During his four years here, Taylor endured some tough times
including the infamous Mantiri and Kupa affairs.

While Canberra had already accepted the nomination of retired
Lt. Gen. H.B.L. Mantiri as new envoy to replace Sabam Siagian,
Jakarta was forced to withdraw its nomination after a public
outcry over an old statement Mantiri had made on East Timor.

Earlier this year it was Canberra's turn to withdraw its
nomination for Taylor's replacement after Jakarta began
questioning the selection of Miles Kupa, a man known to be highly
critical of President Soeharto.

Other scrapes included the burning of an Australian flag by
protesters in front of the embassy in Kuningan, South Jakarta, in
retaliation to a similar incident to the Indonesian flag in
Canberra.

For several days, the Australian embassy also had to "host"
Timorese anti-integrationists who jumped the fence and sought
asylum. After the Timorese left they claimed they had been
mistreated during their stay at the embassy. The accusations
however were never proven and quickly died.

Despite these adventures, Taylor still described his stay as
enjoyable.

The archipelago is not new to Taylor. "It was my second
posting here and as a result of that I think I was in a position
to enjoy it more in seeing the country 20-years ago and seeing
the developments since," he said.

Prior to being sent here in April 1993, Taylor served as
Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria. He has also served as
Deputy High Commissioner to Wellington, and in the embassy in
Bangkok.

Despite having traveled much, Taylor admits he would have
liked to have spent time getting to know even more about
Indonesia.

"I spent most of my travels in and out of the provincial
capitals. I would have liked to spend more time getting to know
people in the areas that I visited," he remarked.

Upon his return to Australia, Taylor will be an advisor on
international affairs at the Department of the Prime Minister and
the Cabinet.

"It's the area of the prime minister and cabinet that looks
after the prime minister's interests in international relations,"
he explained. (mds)